Grazing muzzle



Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

, UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK D. ARNOLD, OF MANTECA, CALIFORNIA.

GRAZING iviUzzLn.

Application led May 14, 1923. Serial No. 638,872.VY

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK D. An-

ANOLD, a citizen of the United States, residthat in pasturage, particularly fields 'of alfalfa, the animal is inclined to eat too rapidly and eXcessively, which in many instances produces bloat and other disorders due to overfeeding. In prior constructions of muzzles this regulation of the feeding has not been e'ectually secured and the muzzles themselvesy have formed more or less of a hindrance to the animal in feeding and a source of irritation.

The present construction, therefore, presents a structure. of muzzle of an original character having a feed opening which is proportioned in area to the animal or cattle using the same, and the walls of the muzzle are so constructed as to deflect or press away adjacent growth, permitting a limited amount of alfalfa or grass to pass upward v through the feed opening and accessible to the mouth of the animal upon which the muzzle is used. During feeding, the mouth of the animal closely approaches the ground and field growth so that if of a 'flexible character it is pressed against the mouth of the animal and defeats his free feeding, which is avoided by the present construction where the muzzle is always spaced at a proper distance from the head of the animal and the lower portion thereof screened or partly closed so as to prevent the ordinary entrance of alfalfa excepting at the feed opening, and such screening is of an open character to permit the free access of air which would be prevented by a muzzle of a solid character.

With the present construction the animal can be left in a field of alfalfa as the amount thereof secured at each mouthful is limited and thus too rapid eating is prevented and also the injurious results thereof. The invention is also particularly adapted for use in early spring crops of alfalfa which contain av large amount of weed growth and vif cattle are allowed to pasture thereon there is danger of bloating or overfeeding. This first crop .is

often mowed and burned, as after it goesto seed the weed pods have` sharp pointsy which lodge in the animals jaws and pro-vV duce dangerous running sores, but with `a muzzle of this type the cattle can be'turned in to feed in such a field, as onlythe proper amount. of alfalfa for feeding purposes passes through the feed opening accessible to the mouth of the animal.

The invention has for an object to provide a muzzlel of rigid character comprising a supporting" ring having a series of Vbars extending therefrom to a feeding ring of predetermined size, the said bars being provided Vat their lower portions with a mesh structure to prevent the entrance of feed excepting through the opening provided for that purp-ose.

Other and further objects andV advantages of the invention will be hereinafter setforth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.`

In the drawing Figure l is a perspective of the inven-v tion;

Figure 2 is avertical cross section thereof; and Y g 1 Figure 3 is a top lan.

Like numerals re er to like parts in the i several figures of the'.drawing.`

The numeral 10 designates a supporting ring which may be of any desired character and size, preferably formed of wire, and

depending therefrom are a series of bars 11 which 'at their lower ends are curved inwardly at '12 and connected to a feeding ring 13.- VThis connection may lbe effected in any preferred manner, yfor instance by looping the lower ends ofthe bars over the ring as at 111, and applying solder to prevent lateral displacement. The upper end of the bar is similarly connected at-15 to the supporting ring 10. .It will be noted that the feed ring is of less diameter than the supporting ring and this feed ring is formed in different sizes relative vto the animal with which it is to be used and the site the i'eed opening.

parallel mesh wires 17 are mounted upon the 'bars in such relation as to press away from the feed opening any pasturage which does not pass directly upward therethrough and accessible to the mouth of the animal. These wires 17 may be secured to the bars in any preferred manner Abut a desirable arrangement thereof is shown wherein the wires are looped about each of the bars as at 18 and secured against lateral displacement by soldering or otherwise connecting the same to the bars. his provides a series oi parallel wires extending circumferentially or the lower portion et' the muzzle.

rlhe upper portion et the muzzle is braced against displacement and strain by the truss wires 19 which cross each other and are securedtogether as at 20. These truss wires pass over the supporting ring 10 as shown at 21, and bent around the bars 12 beneath the bracing ring 16, as shown at 22, thus forming a rigid structure which may be held in irm' posit-ion upon the head or the animal by any desired means, for instanee ,the straps 23 extending from the supporting ring and provided with the buckle or other attachment 2li as shown in Figure 1.

ln operation the muzzle prevents the tree grazing in iields: having weeds or injurious plant growth as the cattle can only reach the grass or alfalfa which extends up into the lieed ring, while the growth at each side is turned awa-y therefrom by the curved walls oit the muzzle. rlthis requires a structure of such rigid character that the Contact thereof `with the weed growth or with the ground will not change its relative position to the mout-hof the animal disposed directly oppolfilliile the invention is primarily intended to prevent bloat or other diseases incidentto too rapid or overteeding, the area of the feed opening may be determined so as to regulate the amount of feed the animal shall obtain in its mouth at one time and thus comprises a teed regulator which is important when animals are permitted to pasture in lields having very rich or high growth ot pasturage.

The term ring has been used herein as recepire designating the several supporting members but is not intended to necessarily deiine a circular member, as the configuration oit the muzzle and the details ot its construction may be altered without departing tromi the spirit oit the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what it clain'i as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Av grazing muzzle comprising a supporting means, rigid bars depending therefrom, a feed ring secured to said bars and having an unobstructed opening ot substantially one halt the diameter of the supporting ring to determine the area ot' pasturage, a bracing ring intermediate the supporting and reed` rings, and a. meshing portion comprising wires encircling the rigid `bars and extending parallel to the feed ring to form a relatively close mesh.

2. A grazing muzzle comprising a supporting ring, rigid bars depending therefrom, a feed ring secured to said bars and having an unobstructed opening of substantially one half the diameter ot' the supporting ring to determine the area of pasturage, a bracing ring intermediate. the supporting and feed rings, a meshing portion to deflect pasturage between the bracing and ieed rings, and diagonally disposed cross wires extending between the supporting and bracing rings and intermediate the rigid bars.

3. A grazing muzzle comprising a supporting ring, rioid bars depending therefrom and curved inwardly at their lower portion, a feed ring secured to said bars at said portion and having an unobstructed opening to determine the area or pasturage, wires eneirclingeaeh rigid bar and extending parallel to the feed ring to form a relatively close mesh, a bracing ring at the upper port-ion of said parallel wires, and truss wires over said supporting ring and intermediate the rigid bars to stiiten the upper open portion of the muzzle.

ln testimony whereotl afiix my signature.

. *REDERGK D. ARNOLD. 

